Australia's Woodhill named Pakistan batting coach

Lahore: Pakistan on Monday appointed Australian coach Trent Woodhill to help solve their perennial batting problems during June's Champions Trophy in England.

The 42-year-old was involved with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League in Australia and is part of the Delhi Daredevils' support staff in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He was also New Zealand cricket team's assistant until last year.

Pakistan appointed Australian coach Woodhill to help solve their perennial batting problems during June's Champions Trophy in England.

Pakistan Cricket Board's director of international cricket Intikhab Alam said Woodhill brings rich experience as a batting and fielding expert.

"We have appointed Woodhill as our national team's batting coach for a period of three weeks and he will help the team during the Champions Trophy," Alam told reporters.

The decision to appoint Woodhill followed serious concerns over Pakistan's fragile batting which flopped during their 3-0 rout at the hands of South Africa in the test series in February this year. Pakistan also lost the five-match one-day series 3-2.

Reports in Pakistani media suggested Woodhill's name was recommended by head coach Dav Whatmore, a former Australian batsmen who took over as coach in March last year.

Woodhill is credited with moulding Australian opener David Warner when he was assistant coach with the New South Wales squad. Pakistan briefly hired former captain Inzamam-ul Haq as their batting consultant ahead of last year's tour to India but he left after a pay dispute.

Two other former captains Zaheer Abbas and Salim Malik had also applied for the post last year.